Machine and method of relieving trapping strain on yarns



- p 3,1946. l. w GROTHEY 2,398,785

MACHINE AND METHOD OF RELIEVING TRAPPING STRAIN ON YARNS Filed Jan 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l J 6 i 57 I 1% w 35/ r f f; 3&0 T 6 TiI: .Z.

' lizverztar IVAN W. GROT HEY by 112's aZ'Za 7-216 ya April 23, 1946. w GROTHEY 2,398,785

MACHINE AND METHOD OF RELIEVING' TRAPPING STRAIN 0N YARNS Filed Jan. 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U I I'll/[ I 6 Ill/.1. l 7 j I 4 jnveni'ar' 5 IVAN w. GROTHEY Patented Apr. 23, 1946 MACHINE AND METHOD OF RELIEVING TRAPPING STRAIN ON YARNS Ivan W. Grothey, Laconia, N. H., assignor to Scott 2 & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. IL, a corporatlon of Massachusetts Application January 6, 1944, Serial No. 517,247

(01. (iii- 107) 9 Claims.

This'invention relates to knitting machines and methods of knitting and more particularly to knitting machines having two feeds each of which feeds a yarn or yarns to the needles during the knitting of heels, toes or other reciprocatory knitting.

In the knitting of heels and toes, or during other reciprocatory knitting on machines ofthe type described, it is found, particularly on fine gauge machines, that the sinker between the last active needle and the first inactive needle tends to trap the yarn fed at the first yarn feed against the first inactive needle and shear the yarn. It

. elevation of a portion of a machine such asis shown in Fig. 1, the spacing of the, needles being increased for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a viewin perspective showing a few needles and associated sinkers in accordance with this invention, their direction of rotation being indicated by the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary planview of a sinker cap and sinkers corresponding to Fig. 3, a portion by means of butts l3 engaging in the cam path It between the cams l6 and I! in the sinker cam cap 300. The needles shown have their upper or hook ends bent forward sufficiently that the back portion or casting off point 26 of'the hook 25 of each needle is in line with or in advance of the forward edge 21 of the needle shank as indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig. 5. For conve'nience, a grouper the needles N, positioned to clearly illustrate the invention, have been designated by the characters I, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, and the associated sinkers have been designated I', 2, 3, 4', 6, and 6' respectively.

Separate-course yarns Y and Y are fed to the needles during reciprocatory knitting of heels and toes from spaced yarn guides, the yarn Y being fed, as shown in Fig. 1, by the yarn guide I9 at '4 the, throat plate2fl while the yarn Y is fed by the yarn guide 2| at the throat plate 22. During of the sinker cap plate being broken away, the

direction of the movement of the sinkers with respect toithe sinker cap being indicated by the arrow; r 1,

Fig. 5 is a viewin elevation showing th first inactive needle of Fig. 3 and the sinker in ad-. vance thereof, the sinker being shown in full lines in it advanced or knocking over position and in broken lines in its retracted position; and

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary view illustrating the needle in the knitting or a course of a heel or .toe by reciprocatory knitting.

In the drawings there are shown the indeinwardly by the cam ll until they reach the limit pendent needles N of a circular knitting machine,

the needles being mounted in the usual grooves or tricks of a needle cylinder (not shown) and operated to knit yarn taken at each of two yarn feeds by the knitting cams 351, I60, "I, I0 and I l, and the cam ring 2'. There are also shown the sinkrotation of the needles counterclockwise, as shown in Fig. 1, the yarn Y is knit first and then yarn Y, both yarns passing to the needles from the left hand corners of their throat plates. Upon reversal of the rotation of the needles, the yarn Y is knit first and then yarn Y, both yarns passing through the right hand corners of their throat plates and two courses being knit during therotation of the needle cylinder in each direction.

As each rotary movement of the needle cylinder during reciprocatory knitting is of sufficient extent to carry all the needles active in the knitting of the heel and .toe past both yarn feeds, the yarn fed at the first yarn feed, during each rotary movement extends, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, from its yarn feed past the second yarn feedto the loop knit by the last active needle during that movement. This causes the first knit yarn to extend from the last active needle at a very small angle above a horizontal plane passing through the throats 24 of the sinkers and, in consequence thereof, the first knit yarn is engaged beneath the nebs 23 of the sinkersassociated with a number of the inactive needles, sinkers 33 4 and 5' being shown so engaging the first knit yarn in Fig. 3. As the sinkers travel in the cam path l4 between the earns 16 and I 1, they are moved.

of a course, as sinkers 2', 3', 4' and 5, tend to trap the first knit yarn against the shanks of the adjacent needles as they are moved forward by their movement along the cam I! to the mocking-over point at 18. In coarse gauge machines, there is sufflcient clearance between the sinkers and needles and sumcient strength in the yarns to permit of the yarn easing the strain therein by drawing yarn from the yarn feed. In the finer gauge machines, the clearance between sinkers and needles is so much closerthere is more of a shearing action as the sinker 2' associated with the last active needle 2 is moved to the knocking over point. The first knit yarn having passed under the nebs of a number of succeeding sinkers,

as sinkers 3', 4' and 5' of Fig. 3, is trapped against the shanks of the inactive needles so that the drawing of any yarn from the yarn guide is rendered diflicult and the yarn is frequently severed or broken. d

To eiiect the knocking over of a stitch it is necessary thatthe sinker following the needle drawing the loop be advanced to a point such that the sinker throat will be to the rear of the needle hook so that the cast off loop will be drawn to therear of the needle. However, it is found, as

knit, yarn shall not be out to restrict the move-- ments of the sinkers with respect. to the shanks advanced sumciently to knock over the loops. This result has been attained by using needles having the hooks thereof bent forward'to such an extent that the upward projection of the forward edge 21 of the needle shank as shown by the dot and dash line in Fig. 5, will pass in back of the hook 25, preferably passing through the knockingover point 26 in the backoi. the hook 25. The

point to which the sinker can be advanced may be varied to some extent by changing the width of the inactive needles while having the sinkers of the needle shank; this advance however, is limited by the necessity for strength in the needle shank. As shown in Fig. 6, the throat. of the sinker is advanced far enough to insure the, last knit loop. 28 of the first fed yarn being carried past the knocking over point 28 on the nee e hook while, as shown in Fig. 5, the throat .24

not advanced sufficiently to trap the yarn against the shanks of the raised inactiv'e needles.

While the invention has been shown and described inconnection with needles having latches 29 used in a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, it is to be understood the inven-- tion is equally appllcable to other types of knit ting machines'using other types of needles.

What is claimed is: A

l. A methodpf knitting comprising the feeding of two yarns to needles during .relative reciprocatory movements of the needles and their actuating cams, one of said yarns being fed to the last active needle during a relative rotary movement of saidlneedles and cams at a substantial angle .to the horizontal, the other of said yarns extending from said last active needle at a relatively small angle, and advancing sinkers to knock over stitches knitted of said one of said yarns, the throat of each sinker at the time of knocking over being in substantial alignment with the forward shank edge of an adjacent needle and advanced at least as faras the knocking-over point of its associated needle. a

2.,A method of knitting at least two separate course yarns during reciprocatory knitting comprising the separate knitting of the two yarns during each reciprocation, independently advancing the sinkers and thereby causing the sinker between the last active needle and the first inactive needle to knock the loop drawn of the first fed yarn over the hook of the last active needle as a loop of 'the second yarn fed is drawn by the last active needle during each reciprocatory movement while causing sai sinker to be advanced only to a position such that the sinkerthroat is in line with the forward edge of the adjacent inactive needle whereby a yarn engaged under the cams advancing said sinkers to knock loops drawn of said first fed yarn over the tops of associated active needles. as loops of the second fed yarn are drawn by said associated active needles with the sinker throats advancing only to the line of the forward edges of the needle shanks whereby a yarn engaged under. the nebs of. sinkers associated with inactive needles following the last active needle is kept free from rupturing and shearing.-

4. ma knitting machine having independently movable needles and sinkers, 'said needles having forwardly bent hooks, actuating cams for said needles and sinkers comprising means for dividing the needles into active and inactive needles, and -means for feeding two separate-course yarns to active needles during relative reciprocations of said needles-and sinkers and their actuating cams, the sinkers and needles being so constructed and controlled in their movements as to cause the sinker associated with the last active needle dur-' ing said given movements to knock the loops drawn of said first fed yarn over thehook of said last active needle as a loop of the second fed yarn is drawn by said last active needle, the said sinker at such time havingthe throat under its neb substantially at the line of the forward edge of the needle shank whereby a yarn engaged under the nebs of sinkers associated with a.- m'imber of the first of the inactive needles during .a given movement is kept free from rupturing and shearing.

5. In a, knitting machine having independently I operable needles and sinkers, said needles having forwardly bent hooks, actuating cams for said needles and sinkers comprising means for divid-, ing the needles into active and inactive needles, and means for feeding two separate-course yams to active needles during relativehreciprocations of said needles and sinkers and their: actuating cams, the forwardly-bent hook ofthe last active"needle causing the-associated sinker taknock the loop drawn of thefirst fed yarn over the hook of said last active needle as a loop of thesecond fed yarn is drawn by said last activeneedle with the associated with inactive needles following the last assures active needle in any given movement is kept free from rupturing and shearing.

6. A method of knitting at least two separate course yarns during rotary reciprocatory knitting comprising the separate knitting of the two yarns during each reciprocatory movement on less than i the full complement of needles, independently ad- I vancing the sinkers and thereby causing the sinkcausing said sinker to be advanced only to a posi- 'tion such that the sinker throat is in line with the forward edge of the adjacent inactive needle whereby the first yarn fed and which is engaged under the nebs of a number of sinkers associated with inactive needles following the active needles is kept free from rupturing and shearing.

7. In a knitting machine having independently operating needles, sinkers having nebs definin throats, actuating cams for said needles and sink: ers comprising means for dividing the needles into groups of active and inactive needles during rotary reciprocatory knitting, means for feeding two separate-course yarns to active needles during relative movements of the needles and their actuating cams and said sinker actuating cams advancing said sinkers to knock the loops drawn of said first fed yarn over the tops of associated active needles as loops of the second fed yarn are drawn by said associated active needles with the sinker throats advancing only to the line of the forward edges of the needle shanks whereby the first fed yarn extending from the yarn. feed to the last active needle and engaged under the nebs of sinkers associated with inactive needles following the last active needle iskept free from rupturing and shearing. 7

8. In a knitting machine having independently movable needles and sinkers, said needles havin forwardly bent hooks, actuating cams for said needles and sinkers comprising means for dividing the needles into active and inactive needles, and means for feeding two separate-course yams to active needles during relative rotary reciprocations of said needles and sinkers and their actuating came, the sinkers and needles being so constructed and controlled in their movements as'to cause the sinker assoclatedwith the last active needle during each reciprocatory movement to knock the loop drawn-of said first fed yarn over the hook of said last active needle as a loop of I the second fed yarn is drawn by said last activeneedle, the said sinker at such time having the thread under its neb substantially at theline of the forward edge of the needle shank whereby "said first fed yarn extending to said last active needle and engaged under the nebs of sinkers associated with'a number of the first of the inactive needles duringa given movement is kept free from rup-' turing and shearing.

9. In aknitting machine having independently sinkers; said needles having operable needles and forwardly bent hooks, actuating camsrfor said needles and sinkers, comprising-means for dividing the needles into active and inactive needles, and means for feeding two senarate course yarns to active needles during relativefrotary reclprocaz tions of said needles and sinkersfandtheir actuating cams, the forwardly bent hook of'the last active needle causing the associated sinker to knock the loop drawn of the first fed yarn over jacent inactive needle whereby extending to said last active needle and engaged.

the hook of said last active needle as a loop of the second fed yarn is drawn by said last active needle with the throat of said sinker advanced,

only to the forward edge of the shank of the adthe first fed yarn under the nebs of sinkers associated with inactive needles following the last active needle in any given reciprocal-Jory movement is kept free from rupturing or shearing. p

J IVANW. 

